Volumetric data defining a three-dimensional image may be generated using a particular scanning device, such as a computed tomography scanner or a magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Presently, graphics systems require an inordinate amount of time to transform volumetric data into a form acceptable for display on a two-dimensional device, such as the raster display screen of a CRT tube. The amount of time currently expended by such graphics systems is typically on the order of minutes. The reason for expending such amount of time is that the transformation processes employed by such prior systems comprise twelve or more steps (i.e., nine floating point multiplications as well as twelve additions). This means that at least twelve processing steps have to be performed to transform a three-dimensional data element into a two-dimensional data element so that the latter element may be displayed on a display. It can be appreciated, therefore, that a large amount of time would indeed to consumed to transform an image defined by millions of three-dimensional data elements into respective two-dimensional data elements.